For Real?
by Hestia01
Summary: Post-Arcadia, they've just left their home and are on the road back to D.C. What happens when they stop to ponder their most recent assignment and its consequences?


**Disclaimer: I do not own the X-Files, it's still property of Chris Carter, 1013 Productions, and 20th Century Fox. For entertainment purposes only, void where prohibited, results not typical, discontinue use if a rash developes as it may be a sign of a serious complication**

For Real?

Just outside Phoenix, AZ

6:07am MST

It was early the next morning before they finally stopped driving. They'd remained at their house long enough to get cleaned up and packed before they took off into the night. After six hours since their departure from The Falls, they'd finally reached a stopping point. Scully had been noticeably silent; Mulder figured that their latest assignment had spooked her more than usual, and she would take time opening up to him about it. He'd wait a while before he'd start needling her.

They park in front of a roadside diner; still in character as her undercover "husband", Mulder gets Scully's door for her and they go inside. In a few minutes, Scully is rubbing the sleep out of her eyes as she inhales her long-awaited coffee. Mulder can't help smiling, she looks adorable when she's sleepy. They'd both been running on pure adrenaline for the past six hours, and are now coming down from it.

"Where are we, Mulder?" She tries to stifle a yawn. Even in the best of circumstances, long car trips didn't agree with her.

"Uh…" he fumbles, looking around for something that would clue him in. He flips over the laminated menu, "We're in…Arizona," he answers, hoping it's good enough for now.

Scully nods with a soft sigh, she doesn't really care about specifics right now. As long as they were far away from that _thing_. This would go down as one of their more gruesome cases; she replays the events of the previous night with a knot in her stomach. Locked in a closet while that creature tore Big Mike limb from limb…dreading what would happen if Mulder got in its way. That thought alone had kept her from getting any sleep while Mulder drove them out of there. She'd feigned sleep to avoid talking about it, but what _could_ have happened was too sickening and nightmarish to allow any actual rest. But here he is, they'd gotten away safely yet again. This thought comes like a ray of light piercing through stormy skies, making Scully smile languidly and reach across the table to take her partner's hand. She gives it a squeeze, her bottom lip quivering as her weakened composure threatens to give way.

"Mulder, that was…what we saw…that was real, wasn't it?"

Mulder squeezes her hand back with a somber nod. Scully nods back in acknowledgement, looking exhausted and perplexed. His thoughts are likewise occupied with what almost happened. What kept coming back to the forefront of his mind was that he'd spent an entire day trying to lure the creature out. He'd acted as though it was a game! Guilt had kept him from prodding Scully into talking during their drive; he let her pretend to be asleep, like he couldn't tell the difference. She was probably angry with him, and she'd have every right to be. He'd almost lost her too many times; the times that were his fault were unforgivable. They'd just managed to patch things up since Diana's duplicity, he'd just gotten his best friend back, when he jeopardized everything yet again.

"…and those people," Scully continues, "they knew about it. They _summoned_ it!" She fixes him with a look that's desperate to understand. Her eyes drift down to their clasped hands, before she slowly withdraws hers and brings both of her hands up to hold her forehead.

"Look, Scully, you have every right to be mad at me this time. Me and my damn lawn flamingoes could've gotten us all killed."

"Mulder—"

"I had a theory and I was trying to test it, okay? I waited until you were out of the house, I wanted you to be safe. I didn't know it only came out at night…I didn't know what was going to happen." his voice is heavy with self-disgust.

"Mulder!" She snaps. He jumps a little and stops explaining. It's then that Scully smiles at him again, "Are you telling me that you 'tested your theory' with lawn flamingoes?" With that image in her mind, she can think of no more efficient means of throwing the community rules down the toilet. Count on Mulder to think of something like that. _What a rebel, my hero_, she thinks, tinged with sarcasm. Extreme stress of the last night's events and the subsequent sleep-deprivation cause her to break into hysterical giggles.

"Scully, I think we should find someplace to get some sleep. I think we've got the midnight crazies," Mulder advises with a grin. This diagnosis makes Scully try to compose herself, her eyes stinging with tears of exhaustion and the fading remnants of anxiety. Mulder leaves five dollars on the table and they're ready to get back on the road. Scully sways on the spot upon standing, and steadies herself against her partner. Putting an arm around her, he helps her out the door and into the van.

"I saw a flier at the diner saying there's a motel down the road. We can crash there for a few hours and rest up. You all right?"

Scully nods, rubbing her forehead and blinking several times to force her sleepy brain to focus. Not another word is spoken until they spot the turnoff to the motel. Its neon sign proudly advertises clean rooms and color TVs. In every sense, one of their usual haunts.

"We can do better than this," Mulder grumbles. Their mission had been a success, surely that called for a celebratory splurge. He keeps to the road and after a couple more blocks they're met with the radiant glow of a reputable chain. Scully hadn't said a word at Mulder's rejection of the first place, but her relief is shining from her eyes at the sight of the hotel. She faces her partner with a smile of approval and an incredulously cocked eyebrow.

"It's okay, Scully, I've got a gold card."

"_Whose_ gold card?"

Caught, Mulder shows her: Walter S. Skinner.

Somewhere between reproach and delight, Scully gasps shrilly, "You have Skinner's credit card?? _Assistant Director Skinner's credit card?!_ Mulder, that's…that's…"

"Relax; he lent it to me for this assignment. I say, he can pay for a little cast party after the show we put on. The least they owe us is a decent place to sleep."

Scully looks at her boss's credit card intently; then with surprising speed and accuracy she snatches it out of Mulder's hand and presses it reverently to her lips. Mulder raises his eyebrows at her but thinks better of remarking. He just reaches over and grabs it back just as abruptly.

"Shall we check in, 'Laura'?"

She rolls her eyes at him with a soft groan; he's never going to let that go. The get out of the van and grab their overnight bags. Swinging them onto their shoulders, they walk through the tall glass doors.

Laying the credit card on the counter, Mulder addresses the desk clerk, "We're gonna need two singles, my good man."

The man behind the counter looks troubled, tapping keys on the computer. "Uh, sorry, sir. Checkout's not until noon and until then we just have one single left."

Mulder and Scully look at each other; clearly, Scully is too tired to care and Mulder wouldn't mind anyway. Still, he has to ask. "You said it's a single? As in, one bed?"

"That's right, but it's a full size…"

Mulder gives his partner a teasing look, which she responds to with another roll of the eyes, conveying that he's testing her patience with him. "Fine, we'll take it," Scully sighs, then leans against the wall while the card is scanned and the room is paid for.

The desk clerk leans over the counter and gives Mulder a wink, "Having problems with your wife?"

Mulder gives the man a withering look, snatching the key cards from him. "Thanks," he adds sarcastically.

They get to their room and try to get situated. Mulder drapes his jacket over a chair while Scully is first in the bathroom. When she gets out, she flops down on top of the covers, fully dressed, and after a few deep breaths is fast asleep. Mulder turns around and sees her like that with a contented smile. He walks over and gently slips her shoes off. When she shows no signs of waking, he gets a bit bolder and removes her jacket and holster. Only Dana Scully could fall asleep with a loaded gun strapped to her body. Mulder turns down the covers and slides her petite form under them. He softly strokes her hair and cheek with the backs of his fingers before stripping down to his underwear and sliding in next to her. He's tempted to do something, pull her close and spoon up like baby kittens. What an inviting thought; but he's resolved to prove himself a gentleman. All of his well-intentioned resolve is thrown out the window, however, when Scully rolls over to him and sighs sleepily, "Mulder, hold me."

"Scully…" he whispers, letting her snuggle in next to him, and the feel of her breathing gently lulls him to sleep as well.

Hours later, they both start waking up, their legs are tangled together and it's hard to say at first whose hands are where. Despite the intimacy of their position, neither one shows any sign of embarrassment.

"Hi."

"Hi."

They stare at each other openly, with lazy smiles, as though neither one can get enough of seeing the other. Scully lays her head back against Mulder's chest, feeling inexplicably content and safe for the first time in ages. _He's my best friend_, she thinks cozily,_ and I love him._ This simple thought is a catalyst, causing tears to spring from her eyes. She clutches at him, suddenly sobbing.

"Scully? What…what's the matter? What's wrong?"

Between deep, painful hiccups, she chokes out, "I…thought I…lost you! I thought I lost you. What would happen? What would I…? How could I…?" The horror of their near miss sweeps over her again and she holds onto him for dear life.

"Shh, I'm here, it's all right." Mulder holds her tightly, kissing her cheek. "That was a close one, but we made it. I was scared, too, when I saw it had been in the house. I thought it had gotten you. I haven't been so scared since…" _Since my sister was taken_, he thinks. Scully understands what he was about to say, she knows that Mulder still blames himself for his sister's death, and that he'd feel just as responsible should something happen to her. Her tears stop as suddenly as they began; she lays there in his arms, drawing in shaky breaths that gradually smooth out. Mulder traces her face, not taking his eyes off of her.

Scully looks up at him dreamily, hypnotized by his gentle touch. _Would it be so crazy if…_she cuts herself off from considering the absurd. It wouldn't work, there were too many variables. _But he's my…we're so… No_, Scully reprimands herself; _do I really want to housebreak a confirmed bachelor like him? And who said he wanted me, anyway? I can't even have his children._

"Scully? Are you with me? Earth to Scully…" Mulder waves his hand and snaps his fingers in front of her eyes, bringing her out of her trance. Even when he's sure she's 'back', she's still looking at him funny.

"I'm so sorry, Mulder," she sighs, running a hand up his cheek and through his tousled hair. "I'm sorry." Even as she's saying the words, she's not sure that it's what she means to say.

"What are you talking about? What are you sorry for?"

"I don't know. Nothing. Everything." Scully looks up at him appealingly, wanting to make sense of this as much as he does. "I just feel so…funny."

Getting the wrong idea, Mulder releases his hold on her, starts to pull away. "Look, I don't know how we got tangled up together like this, but—"

"That's not it. Well, it might be part of it, but that was kind of nice." She pouts, frustrated with herself, blushing. "I can't, I can't. God, Mulder, what's wrong with me?" She sighs, laying back against her pillow, closing her eyes. Sitting up and leaning over her, Mulder reaches down and takes her left hand; she's still wearing her 'wedding rings' from their assignment. As though she has her mind on the same thing, Scully smiles inwardly. The gold band had come from the Bureau, they'd both been issued one for their cover story, but she knew that Mulder had picked out the engagement ring. That in itself made it personal, regardless of where it came from. He could've picked it out at a pawn shop and it wouldn't make any difference to her. Still, it wasn't hers. Suddenly "awake" again, she sits up, nearly bonking heads with him. She takes off her "engagement ring" and holds it out to him. "Here's this back, you should still be able to get a refund for it if you just tell the jewelry store it wasn't the right size or that I'm allergic to the metal or something." _Strange_, she thinks, _it was a remarkably perfect fit for being bought on the fly._

Mulder pushes it back at her. "Keep it, Scully, I didn't buy it." He gets out of bed and starts getting dressed.

She gives him her usual eyebrow raise that he's convinced she reserves only for him. "Where did you get it? The stolen goods locker?" She asks with a quirk of humor on her lips. She too gets out of bed and starts pulling clothes on.

Mulder shifts around, agitated, "Do you like it?"

Scully sighs, "Yes, I do. But--"

"Just keep it; I want you to have it."

She slips it back on, back on her left-hand ring finger incidentally, examining it on her hand. Her brief moment of unguarded admiration of his gift gives Mulder a reason to stand a bit straighter, and it looks like he has an idea brewing...

Scully interrupts his thoughts, "Where did you get it, Mulder?"

Slightly annoyed that she can never be deterred or distracted when she has a question, he finally owns up, guiltily. "Scully..." he whines, playing for time, "It's....it was my...mother's." He looks suddenly embarrassed for admitting this. It hadn't been lost on him how natural it looked on his partner's hand, like it belonged there.

Scully's jaw drops an inch, now feeling shy and speechless; she tries to form coherent words. "I can't...I can't keep this, Mulder. It should stay in your family."

"You _are_ my family, Scully. Who else would I give that ring to? Who else would I _want_ to give it to? I want you to have it, all right? No strings attached."

Scully looks down at the ring, twists it around her finger, now realizing which hand it's on. She smiles, blushing as she indulges herself in fanciful, half-formed thoughts of marriage. His gesture has touched her inner-romantic and it's hard to think of anything else. Slowly looking up at Mulder, she finally manages to say: "Thank you. It's beautiful."

He smiles back, "Look, I know living together wasn't exactly the best, but I..." he trails off, unable to say more. "I...I, uh, had fun."

Scully nods, "Well, aside from the toilet-training and the cheesy pet names...I've had worse assignments."

Both of them hover on the brink of saying more, but both are unwilling to put the next piece in the puzzle. Silence looms between them, before it becomes smothering, Mulder starts pacing, that old look in his eyes that says he's up to something. "Scully..." She looks up, sensing something is important. "This is going to sound stupid, you'll probably think it's funny, but...I just....Don't laugh, okay?" Scully nods, now very concerned. "Okay, I just thought...That's not right, either...Scully, would it be so crazy if.... Would you marry me for real?"

Her eyes go wide and she visibly flinches, "You're serious? Mulder..." she sighs, sinking down into a chair, gazing up at him. He looks down at her; she looks dizzy, surprised, confused, but no outward sign of a short refusal. "Marry you...me? Oh god..." she breathes, still without any sensible response. Mulder kneels down in front of her, so they're about eye-level with each other, placing his hands over hers. "I...I don't...can't breathe..."

Mulder patiently waits for his partner's existential meltdown to run its course. "Come on, Scully, talk to me. Say something."

"Say it again," she requests, a glint of childlike curiosity is in her eyes. She honestly needs to hear him say it again.

"Scully, would you be my wife?"

She's still not faring that well with words, so she takes hold of his hands tightly, and nods, a breaking into a sudden hysterical grin. "Yes, yes, of course I will." She stops short, "Did I really just say that?"

It's Mulder's turn to look surprised; he looks like he can't believe his ears. "Did you just say yes?" She nods again, standing up and grinning her face off. "You mean it? We're getting married?!" He pulls her into a hug and lifts her clear off the floor.

When he puts her down, Scully looks like she's about to cry again. She puts both of her hands around his face. He leans in and kisses her on the lips, his tongue parts her lips briefly, testing their new boundaries. Their first kiss as a real couple is short and sweet, they're both taking this one step at a time. Just when Mulder seems ready for more, Scully jumps away abruptly with a panicked look. "I need to tell my mother! What'll she say? Mind you, she probably has our wedding already planned, and you and I will just have to show up, knowing her. I've got to call her, if only we could get away to see her in person, but there just isn't time. We need to be back at work in five days and it'll take that long just to drive back. Not that I mind, that was good thinking, Mulder, it got us almost a week of paid time off." By now she's vigorously pacing, finishing getting dressed, putting on earrings, and finally finding her cell phone. Although their phones are identical, they never have trouble telling whose was whose. She dials her mother's home number, sits down on the bed, and crosses her fingers. Mulder sits down beside her, slipping his arm around her waist and kissing her neck. "Oh, Mulder," she sighs, as the phone rings on the other end.

A man's voice answers, "Hello?"

_Dammit,_ Scully curses to herself, _of all people to answer the phone, it had to be Bill._ Forcing a smile on her face, she speaks to her brother, "Hi, Bill, it's Dana. What are you doing at Mom's house?"

"Just visiting, it gets kind of quiet and lonely for her, especially since…" he trails off significantly. Emotions about their father and sister's deaths were still raw, and now Bill has the nerve to rub it in her face that she isn't around.

"Look, I'm trying to save up some time off to come down. Things have been kind of hectic lately. I just got done with an assignment and maybe I can try to swing by."

"Is that UFO hunter with you?"

Scully rolls her eyes. He's getting on her nerves and she's going to play right back, "Yes, he is. We're actually staying in a hotel room. Together."

"Dana, please! Listen, why do you still hang around that guy? You can do so much better than that, he's holding your career back."

"Look, Bill, I didn't call to argue about work, okay? I've got something important I have to tell you. Mom, too. I wanted to tell her first, but it doesn't really matter. Just let me after I've told you, okay? And Bill? Try to be happy for me here?"

"Sure, what's going on?"

Scully squeezes Mulder's hand for support. "I'm engaged."

"You're what? To who?" Neither of them speaks, he puts it all together. "Oh, no, you are _not_—"

"Not what? When did I have to answer to you? I know you don't like Mulder; I don't care if you hate his guts, but he's my partner, he's my best friend, and I love him! I…love…him…" she softly repeats, turning to face him with a relieved smile on her face. Mouthing the words, "I love you," she leans in to kiss him again--

"Give him the phone."

Scully winces, hands Mulder the phone. "He wants to talk to you. It's nothing personal; I just think he thinks you're going to get me killed."

"Great." He takes it from her, "Hello, Bill."

"Look, if you let anything happen to my little sister, so help me, I'll—"

"Hey, in case you haven't noticed, your 'little sister' can take care of herself. She's kicked my ass enough times to prove it. Yeah, it's a dangerous job, she's not exactly an Avon lady. She runs a certain risk every day, no matter who she's 'hanging around' with. I know you're just looking out for her, but give her some credit. And while you're at it, give me some credit, cause nothing's going to happen to her on my watch, not while I can protect her."

This schpiel has taken the wind out of Bill's sails, he's unsure what to say to that. "Do they take her seriously? At work?"

"You mean does she have to work against my charming reputation? I'd say she holds her own."

Bill sighs heavily, still not happy about this recent turn of events but he knows better than to try anything. "Give her the phone back."

Mulder wordlessly hands it over, Scully gazes at him, touched by what he'd just said about her. She holds the phone to her ear and hears her brother say, "Here's Mom."

"Dana, honey, how are you?"

"I'm great, Mom, how about you?"

"Oh, same old, same old. What was Bill yelling about?"

"Mulder just did something that Bill didn't like, as usual."

"I see. What was it this time?"

"He asked me to marry him," Scully reveals with an excited smile.

"Dana, that's not funny—"

"And I said yes."

There are several seconds of silence as her mother realizes what she just said.

"Mom, Mulder and I are engaged," she repeats clearly.

"Oh! Well, it's about time! Honestly, I was starting to wonder! I always thought people in the FBI were supposed to be smart, but you two sure took the long way around. Congratulations, better late than never I always say."

"Thanks, Mom."

"Put him on!"

Again, Scully hands the phone over, "She's happy about it, don't worry."

"Hi, Margaret! So how are you taking it? Did Sc—your daughter give you a heart-attack?"

"Don't tell me you two are still calling each other by your last names, "she demands dramatically.

Mulder pauses, looks over at her with a contemplative smirk, "You know, I don't think we've ever really thought about it. We've never called each other anything else. I mean, now that you mention it, I guess we could…It'll be kind of weird the first couple of times." He puts his hand over the mouthpiece, "She thinks we should switch to our first names." Scully giggles, whether at him or her mother is unclear. He uncovers the phone, "I don't know, after all these years. She's my Scully, I think she always will be."

At this, she grabs the phone from Mulder's hand, "Hi, Mom, me again."

"Dana, what do you think of your own fiancé calling you by your last name? I thought it was getting silly to keep that nonsense up when the two of you started actually liking each other. Did he even call you that when he proposed?"

"Yes, Mom, it's what he's always called me. It might sound strange to you, but I like the way he says it. I wouldn't mind if we switched, of course, it would be kind of weird, though, wouldn't it?" She looks up at Mulder; they're both imagining what that would be like.

"You're both hopeless. Well, I guess it doesn't matter what you call each other as long as you love each other. Now, thanks for the call, but I've got to be going. Bye, Dana, bye, Fox!"

"Bye, Mom." And she hangs up, flopping backwards on the bed, groaning like she'd just run a marathon.

"Well, that could've gone worse," Mulder admits, lying down next to her.

"My family…gotta love 'em."

"So…" Mulder bumps shoulders with her, "Dana. Nice name." He lies on his side, propping himself up on his elbow to look at her. To associate her face with the name. "Dana," he repeats, as though testing the sound of it. "I love you, Dana." Although his tone is sincere, he smirks as though it still sounds funny.

Scully grins, trying not to laugh, "You don't have to. I'm your Scully. Remember…Fox?" And this time they both lose it; Mulder laughs right out while Scully makes rather unladylike noises through her nose, trying to hold it in. "I love you, Fox." They lie together, tittering sporadically for a few more minutes, until--

"Dammit, what time is it?" Mulder asks, tipping the clock to face them. 11:47a.m. "We'd better get going." They both hop up and get their stuff together. They run to the elevator, in an impromptu race.

"Come on, Mulder, highway's a-calling!"

"Right behind you, Scully."

_Ding_


End file.
